27 January 2012

The Soundtrack to My Life

I visited London Mabel's place the other day, and heard a beautiful song. You all know I love lyrics, but an instrumental is intriguing. It's a blank canvas, waiting for us to imbue it with our memories, or yearnings.

I just celebrated one year of blogging, so I was brave and went back and read the first few posts. Then I stopped. I'm too busy living this year to revisit the last. But it was interesting to cruise through "Lyrics and Failures," just to see what music was playing in my head.

If my life were a movie, this is what it would sound like right now. We are in a challenging period, and I am often weary. But on good days, that makes me want to fight harder. Or angrily play the guitar. If I knew how to play the guitar.

After a few months of this phase, I would like some peace. And although this song was written for trapped miners, it captures the harmony and graceful purpose I hope is waiting at the end of the tunnel.

In my hopeful projections for the next six months, we accomplish our individual goals. In a multi-layered crescendo of bouncy cheerfulness, we achieve personal and collective success! Much like this Snow Patrol song.

I listened to her CD so often, it was getting a new groove! I was surprised to find she has cross-gender appeal. I was driving a van load of sixteen y.o boys, and they all sang along! None of us did her justice, either.

Dang it, I tried listening to the music but the speakers apparently aren't hooked up yet (still in the midst of moving). Congrats on your one year anniversary! I love reading about your life with boys.

Good luck with the move! I'm sending FGBV's for safe travelling, and no back injuries from moving heavy boxes! The beauty of the blog (or horror, depending on the day) is that it just lives out there in cyberspace until you can listen.

The last trip to Europe I chaperoned, my friend and I wrote down every song that popped into our heads (every situation has a song and a Friends episode). By the end of the trip we had the world's greatest soundtrack EVER that including hard-core beat-down gangsta rap, Edith Piaf, MC Solaar, "Guatanemera", Buddy Holly, Weezer (there is no Buddy Holly without Weezer), Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Jr., Sam Cooke, and Justin Timberlake. It. was. awesome. But we lost our list somewhere in Granada...never to be seen again.There is constant music in my head. I'm also a lyrics girl (Carrie and I had this long and complicated discussion via text about lyrics and misconstrued meanings. It last for about an hour. It really should have been a phone call.) And I always wonder what my movie montage song would be as run around picking up toys and children.

Love the music! Love the blog! Jazz hands!

PS I "pinned" you. I think we might be going steady, or you maybe on my Pinterest boards. Once I figure it out, I'll let you know!

I hope we're going steady! I've been trying to figure out how to become a Trimble, so this might be my way in!

I imagine that no matter how straightforward a lyric may seem, it's always open to the interpretation of the listener. That said, I prefer a well-crafted, highly evocative song. I would add "spare," but I love Eminem precisely because he crams about 32 beats of rhymes in each 4 beat measure.

In honor of your jazzy hands, I would choose something from "A Chorus Line," for your montage. "She's the one!...dadada, dadada, dadedadedadeda..."

Who do you like in Country Western? I had the silly idea to set my story in Montana (actually, it was a devious plan to make the Captain take me there) and then I realized I only know a few C&W singers! It made the soundtrack difficult.

Ooh. I love Country music. (Which is hilarious because until I was about 22, I thought it was the dumbest music ever made.)

You need to listen to a few classics like Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline for good lyrics and strong emotion. Currently, Zac Brown Band KILLS it on lyrics, too. I also like Miranda Lambert & Dierks Bentley.

Okay, I feel like I've already made some good choices! I love Miranda Lambert, and I've enjoyed what I've heard of Zac Brown, but I don't know that I've ever heard a Derks Bentley song. I haven't listened to Johnny Cash in years, but "I Go Out Walkin'" came right back to me when you mentioned Patsy. We used to listen to her in college!

I am a firm believer in supporting the artists of the day. But I also don't have a lot of time to search for new ones, so I'm not exactly a trend-setter. More importantly, music inspires us because of what it makes us feel. So if you are most inspired by your favorites, it's all good.

3. You've been so quotable lately! First the bit Bald Betty singled out--it was excellent--and now this one: " We are in a challenging period, and I am often weary. But on good days, that makes me want to fight harder. Or angrily play the guitar. If I knew how to play the guitar. " I shall think of it on the bad days and tell myself: Fight harder (or learn guitar)!